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Local 12-year old golfer thrilled to be playing in Augusta event

mark.ambrogi@indystar.com
1:05 p.m. EDT April 4, 2014

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Twelve-year-old Nels Surtani, Noblesville, who has qualified for a special junior event in Augusta, Ga., is shown on Friday, March 28, 2014 at Sagamore Golf Club in Noblesville. Surtani, a sixth grader at Park Tudor, is one of 88 junior golfers and the only one from Indiana who have earned an invitation to Augusta National Golf Club to compete in the Drive, Chip and Putt Championships.(Photo: Charlie Nye/The Star)Buy Photo

NOBLESVILLE – Nels Surtani was born to play golf.

Before the age of 2, he was hitting golf balls. Now a 12-year-old sixth-grader, Nels jonied Park Tudor Middle School's golf team as a fourth-grader. His teammates were sixth to eighth graders.

On Sunday, Nels' golfing skills will be on display at the inaugural Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at Augusta (Ga.) National Golf Club. Nels is one of 11 boys in the 12-13 division. He is the only Indiana qualifier among 88 golfers (ages 7-15) from the United States and Canada in the skills event, which will be televised live by The Golf Channel (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.).

Nels' accomplishment is even more impressive considering what he has overcome. Nels was born with clubbed feet.

"The day he was born he was put in a cast," said his father, Nimu Surtani, an orthopedic surgeon. "The joke is you hope they are born breach so you (can) cast them as soon as they are coming out — the sooner the better."

Surtani knew his son's clubbed feet could be treated. "Sometimes there are other things that can be associated with it," Surtani said. But fortunately that was the only issue for Nels.

"Once that cleared up, I felt better,' Surtani said.

Nels wore casts for eight weeks and then braces at night for three years.

"There is usually a size difference between the foot and calf on the affected size and for Nels that is on his left side," Surtani said.

Surtani said Nels can't run as fast or jump as high as his younger brother, Tate, 10, or many of his peers because of stiffness in his left foot.

However, it does not affect his golf game.

As soon as he could walk, Nels would play with golf training aids his father had around the house.

"He had a tendency to have the patience to just whack balls," Surtani said.

Nels, who is 4-11 and 80 pounds, tried a variety of sports when he was younger and still plays tennis for his middle school. Golf though, is clearly his passion.

"It's challenging and you always play against yourself," Nels said of golf. "You don't have a whole team to play."

The Surtani family resides near the Sagamore Golf Club in Noblesville, where Nels got his first hole-in-one on the 138-yard No. 8 hole last May. Since then, he has another ace at the 101-yard second hole at Woodland Country Club in Carmel.

Twelve-year-old Nels Surtani, Noblesville, who has qualified for a special junior event in Augusta, Ga., is shown on Friday, March 28, 2014 at Sagamore Golf Club in Noblesville. Surtani, a sixth grader at Park Tudor, is one of 88 junior golfers and the only one from Indiana who have earned an invitation to Augusta National Golf Club to compete in the Drive, Chip and Putt Championships.
Charlie Nye/The Star

Twelve-year-old Nels Surtani, Noblesville, who has qualified for a special junior event in Augusta, Ga., uses a groundhog cover on his golf clubs, shown on Friday, March 28, 2014 at Sagamore Golf Club in Noblesville. Surtani, a sixth grader at Park Tudor, is one of 88 junior golfers and the only one from Indiana who have earned an invitation to Augusta National Golf Club to compete in the Drive, Chip and Putt Championships.
Charlie Nye/The Star

Twelve-year-old Nels Surtani, Noblesville, who has qualified for a special junior event in Augusta, Ga., is shown on Friday, March 28, 2014 at Sagamore Golf Club in Noblesville. Surtani, a sixth grader at Park Tudor, is one of 88 junior golfers and the only one from Indiana who have earned an invitation to Augusta National Golf Club to compete in the Drive, Chip and Putt Championships.
Charlie Nye/The Star

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"The short game is the best part of my game," Nels said. "I'm not a very long hitter so the short game always saves me when I'm in trouble."

Nels said his goal is to win his age group, but he knows it won't be easy with many older competitors in his group.

Surtani learned about the Drive, Chip and Putt competition and took Nels to compete at Randall Oaks Golf Club in West Dundee, Ill., in July.

"After I bladed my first chip, I didn't think I had a chance but I ended up coming up second," Nels said.

The top two advanced and Nels qualified for the Midwest Regional. Nels won his age group at Oak Brook (Ill.) Golf Club in August with an overall score of 140 despite competing against mostly older participants.

"The key was after I hit a bad shot, I had to keep trying and not give up," Nels said.

The competition is based on what the participants' age will be as of Sunday. Nels didn't turn 12 until Dec. 25. Although there older golfers who could drive farther, the scoring was based on accuracy, too.

"It's going to be fun and I get to meet the pros," said Nels, who will attend practice rounds for the Masters, which begins on Thursday. "It's going to be difficult because a lot of the kids that qualified are really good."